After losing the first two games in a four-game road trip, UNF men’s basketball (5-2) defeated the Hartford University Hawks (3-3) 81-60 on Nov. 27 in the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Pavilion in the third game of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational.

By the first media timeout, the Hawks held the lead after a pair of three-pointers made by Taylor Dyson to take the lead 6-4 over the Ospreys. The lead would not be held for long, as UNF made an 8-0 run sparked by a pair of three-pointers from Trent Mackey and Aaron Bodager followed by a layup from Dallas Moore for a 12-8 lead. Both Mackey and Bodager tallied 13 points. The Ospreys would make several runs during the night.

14 of the last 20 points in the first half for the Ospreys came from 19 UNF free throws.

Just before the half, Hartford freshman guard J.R. Lynch made a three-pointer at the buzzer, but the Ospreys went into the locker room with a 43-28 lead.

After the break, the teams exchanged buckets early on in the second half. Points from the free-throw line would continue to play a role in the Ospreys’ increasing lead. Both teams had players in foul trouble down the stretch.

UNF edged out Hartford with nine three-pointers made, while the Hawks made only eight.

Hawks’ freshman forward George Blagojevic finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds to lead the team.

For the Ospreys, Moore finished at the top with 16 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists while teammate Beau Beech added 15 points and seven rebounds.

UNF continued to rain threes in the following game, winning 78-65 over the St. Francis Brooklyn College (SFC) Terriers (1-4) on Nov. 28 in West Hartford, Connecticut. The game marked the final day of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational and the last stretch of the Osprey road trip.

The Ospreys struck first and didn’t look back in the opening half. By the 11:18 mark, the Ospreys connected 6 straight 3-pointers over the Terriers for a 20-9 advantage. During the first, half both teams exchanged back to back dunks with UNF holding a 27-15 lead.

Just before the first-half buzzer, junior guard Dallas Moore connected from the behind the arc to send the Ospreys to the locker room with a 49-30 cushion.

Terrier senior guard Tyreek Jewell started the second half with a quick layup before UNF began to pull away from the Terriers for the victory. The Ospreys made 12 shots from behind the arc to five from St. Francis Brooklyn. Both teams were equal at 10 from the free-throw made at the line. The Terriers edged the Ospreys with thirty-seven rebounds to thirty-three for UNF.

Terrier senior forward Amdy Fall had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Five Ospreys finished in double digits on the night, with junior forward Chris Davenport leading the team with 20 points and 5 rebounds.

UNF will return home to the UNF Arena, featuring a brand new scoreboard, to face the Trinity Baptist Eagles (2-3) on Nov. 30.

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